1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a watercraft to a dock permitting vertical and/or horizontal controlled movement in relation to the dock. The apparatus may be used for many sizes of watercraft, but is particularly suitable for small boats and personal watercraft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problems related to securing watercraft to docks are well known and yet current solutions still remain unsatisfactory. Any such device must compensate for water movement caused by tidal changes, turbulence due to bad weather or due to other watercraft, or wind striking the water. Uncontrolled movements of the watercraft create opportunities for damage to the watercraft, to the dock or to adjacent watercraft also tied to the dock or anchored in nearby waters.
Mooring devices for mooring water craft are well known in the art. One such device is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,014, issued to A. H. Yordi. The device comprises a column having one end buried in the bed of the body of water and the other end extending upwardly beyond the dock. The column is also attached directly to the dock. A collar with an arm attached thereto to is mounted to the column by rollers so that the collar and arm may move freely along the column. A counter weight system is attached to the collar to compensate for the weight of the collar and arm and further assist the free movement of the collar. A boat is fixedly attached to the telescoping arm, which has springs to dampen lateral movement of the attached boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,953, issued to H. E. Olsen, discloses a pole driven into the bed of a body of water and a boat having an arm extending therefrom with a ring attached to one end that is placed about the pole. The arm has a spring for dampening lateral movement.
The applicant's Pat. No. 5,243,926 discloses a pair of brackets, one attached to a dock and the other attached to a boat, with an arm extending therebetween. Each end of the arm is pivotally attached to a respective bracket to permit movement of the boat with respect to the dock. The arm includes a tension spring that controls the amount of movement permitted.
Notwithstanding the existence of such prior art, it remains clear that there is a need for a simple apparatus that is adjustably attachable to various watercraft and compensates for the tide as well as strongly controlling lateral movement caused by wind or water movement.